Article

A growing need in clinical practice of rehabilitation and orthopaedic
medicine is for objective outcome tools to estimate physical activity. Current
techniques show limited validity or are too demanding for routine clinical use.
Accelerometer-based activity monitors (AMs) have shown promise for measuring
physical activity in healthy people but lack validity in impaired patients.
This study aimed to validate an accelerometer-based AM in impaired,
slow-walking, crutch-supported patients after total joint arthroplasty (TJA).
METHODS: Shortly after TJA, patients who were safely mobilized with 2 crutches
and 8 healthy participants completed a trial of different activities while
wearing the AM on the lateral upper leg and being videotaped. Outcome variables
(e.g., time walking, number of gait cycles, sit-stand-sit transfers) were
compared to video recordings, and sensitivity, predictive value and mean
percentage difference (MPD) values were calculated. RESULTS: We included 40
patients (mean age: 65+/-9 years; mean BMI: 30+/-6kg/m2; male:female ratio:
18:22) and 8 healthy participants (mean age: 49+/-20 years; mean BMI:
23+/-0.7kg/m2; male:female ratio: 5:3). The AM showed excellent sensitivity
(>95%) and predictive value (>95%) in identifying activities (e.g., walking,
sitting, resting) and detecting the number of gait cycles and sit-stand-sit
transfers (mean percentage difference: +/-2%).
Detection of number of steps
ascending and descending stairs and cadence was more difficult but still showed
good results (mean percentage difference: +/-7%). CONCLUSIONS: This is the first
validation study to assess physical activity with an AM in impaired,
slow-walking, crutch-supported patients. The AM was a valid tool for measuring
physical activity in these patients. The tool may help in evaluating and
optimizing rehabilitation programs for patients after TJA, those recovering from
stroke or chronic impaired patients.
CI - Copyright (c) 2016 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Langue : ANGLAIS